While many proms across Canada have been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new event is giving graduating teens a chance to celebrate.

An initiative called “Prom Is On” will bring a grad party to thousands on May 22.

“Prom Is On is a virtual prom connecting students from across the country,” said Kylee Pocrnich, one of the student organizers. “It’s designed for students, by students.”

Pocrnich, a Grade 12 student at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School, is one of 36 kids on the virtual prom’s national organizing committee.

“When I saw the email looking for students to be on the (organizing) committee, I jumped at the chance. I wanted to do something to help out.”

Pocrnich said she’s been looking forward to prom for as long as she can remember. When she heard the news that Tweedsmuir’s prom was cancelled, she was heartbroken. “Our dinner and dance was cancelled and won’t be rescheduled.”

She said the commencement will be an in-person/virtual hybrid ceremony June 24. “We are going to go into the gym in small, socially-distanced groups, but no parents will be there. Everything will be livestreamed.”

At the virtual prom party on May 22, she said students can expect to hear “amazing music from Loud Luxury” and she said everyone has a chance to win some prizes, as there will be “tonnes of giveaways.”

Pocrnich added that there will also be a bunch of celebrity shout-outs, but she can’t reveal the celebs’ names. Kids will have to “attend” the Canada-wide prom night to see those famous faces.

Pocrnich said she has mixed feelings about Prom Is On.

“We aren’t trying to replace (prom). We just want to give students something to look forward to during this really hard time. We want to give them something to do and we want them to have some fun.”